Genesis 25:23

25:23 and the Lord said to her,

“Two nations ¹  are in your womb,

and two peoples will be separated from within you.

One people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger.”

Genesis 25:33

25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” ²  So Esau ³  swore an oath to him and sold his birthright ⁴  to Jacob.

Genesis 43:9

43:9 I myself pledge security ⁵  for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. ⁶ 

Genesis 43:1

The Second Journey to Egypt

43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land. ⁷ 

Genesis 14:24

14:24 I will take nothing ⁸  except compensation for what the young men have eaten. ⁹  As for the share of the men who went with me – Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre – let them take their share.”

Genesis 14:1

The Blessing of Victory for God’s People

14:1 At that time ¹⁰  Amraphel king of Shinar, ¹¹  Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations ¹² 

Genesis 25:24

25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, ¹³  there were ¹⁴  twins in her womb.

Genesis 25:2

25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

Genesis 14:9

14:9 Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, ¹⁵  Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar. Four kings fought against ¹⁶  five.

Matthew 27:25

27:25 In ¹⁷  reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”

[25:23]  ¹ sn By metonymy the two children in her womb are described as two nations of which the two children, Jacob and Esau, would become the fathers. The language suggests there would be a struggle between these nations, with one being stronger than the other. The oracle reveals that all of Jacob’s scheming was unnecessary in the final analysis. He would have become the dominant nation without using deception to steal his brother’s blessing.

[25:33]  ² tn Heb “Swear to me today.”

[25:33]  ³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:33]  ⁴ sn And sold his birthright. There is evidence from Hurrian culture that rights of inheritance were occasionally sold or transferred. Here Esau is portrayed as a profane person who would at the moment rather have a meal than the right to inherit. He will soon forget this trade and seek his father’s blessing in spite of it.

[43:9]  ⁵ tn The pronoun before the first person verbal form draws attention to the subject and emphasizes Judah’s willingness to be personally responsible for the boy.

[43:9]  ⁶ sn I will bear the blame before you all my life. It is not clear how this would work out if Benjamin did not come back. But Judah is offering his life for Benjamin’s if Benjamin does not return.

[43:1]  ⁷ tn The disjunctive clause gives supplemental information that is important to the storyline.

[14:24]  ⁸ tn The words “I will take nothing” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:24]  ⁹ tn Heb “except only what the young men have eaten.”

[14:1]  ¹⁰ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator וַיְהִי (vayÿhi) followed by “in the days of.”

[14:1]  ¹¹ sn Shinar (also in v. 9) is the region of Babylonia.

[14:1]  ¹² tn Or “king of Goyim.” The Hebrew term גּוֹיִם (goyim) means “nations,” but a number of modern translations merely transliterate the Hebrew (cf. NEB “Goyim”; NIV, NRSV “Goiim”).

[25:24]  ¹³ tn Heb “And her days were filled to give birth.”

[25:24]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “look!” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene as if they were actually present at the birth.

[14:9]  ¹⁵ tn Or “Goyim.” See the note on the word “nations” in 14:1.

[14:9]  ¹⁶ tn The Hebrew text has simply “against.” The word “fought” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[27:25]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “answering, all the people said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.